Harmony Cedar Furniture
About Harmony Cedar
Harmony Cedar, Inc. is owned and operated by Rick Hansen and Erik Schimek. We have been offering handcrafted furniture through our website since 2001.
We specialize in modern hardwood designs with clean simple lines such as Mission, Prairie, Arts & Crafts and Shaker.
Our mailing address is:
Harmony Cedar
1007 15th Avenue North
South Saint Paul, MN 55075
A Brief History: Sustainability and the Rural Economy
Rick began Harmony Cedar seven years ago at the request of an Amish neighbor. The rural farm economy was very poor, and the family needed help to get their new cedar chests to market. The first few cedar chests were created in a curvy, decorative mission style -- and weren't very popular. Erik came on to help after the online learning program he managed for the local school district closed down, and introduced a few new styles that proved to be more popular (such as a true mission cedar chest, a shaker chest design, and a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Harmony chest). The income from the sale of these cedar chests has helped several Amish craftsmen to provide for their families in a tough rural economy.
We have since expanded into several other types of furniture, but have remained true to these same simple styles. The sale of our handcrafted furniture continues to benefit the rural economy by providing work for craftsmen, small delivery companies, local sawmills, and local landowners with stands of beautiful hardwoods. Our products are all American Made.
The hardwoods used in our furniture are a renewable, but limited resource. Rick and I are both strong environmentalists, and have put thoughtful consideration into the impact of our business on the remaining Upper Midwestern forests. We have come to two conclusions.
Heirloom quality furniture will outlast the owner: Much of the furniture available today is created with laminates, pressed boards, plywood, and other engineered 'wood' that is apparently designed to be replaced every 5-10 years regardless of care and use. Assuring the planned obsolescence of your furniture may be a good way to make money, but it also leads to the accelerated depletion of hardwood and softwood forests. All of our furniture is created to last for generations if cared for properly -- which is longer than the time it takes for the renewable resource (hardwoods) to regrow.
We can minimize this impact through offsets on our own land: Rick has already placed large sections of his family's farmland into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and has planted over 5,500 trees on this land. The mix is 50% hardwoods (Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, and Walnut) and 50% softwood Pines. The trees help provide wildlife cover, prevent erosion on hills and slopes, improve water quality, and help to replenish the forests native to the Upper Midwest. We plan to do additional plantings in the next few years.
Beautiful Modern Furniture. Traditional Quality and Service.
We have built a strong reputation for ethical and responsive customer service that is the foundation of our business.
Both Rick and I are native Minnesotans, and we were raised to do right by other people. We strongly believe that a business must uphold its end of the social contract by being responsible to its customers, to the land, and to the community at large.
We have delivered thousands of furniture pieces to satisfied customers all around the world, and encourage you to view the testimonials sent in by our customers. There are well over one hundred posted on our website.
Evan, Suzanne and Rick Hansen
Rick Hansen -- President
rick@harmonycedar.com
Rick Hansen's background is in agriculture and environmental stewardship. He earned a Masters of Science Degree in Soil Management at Iowa State University in 1987, and worked at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for 17 years. Rick was elected to the Minnesota State Legislature in 2004, where he serves as chair of the Subcommittee on Wetlands, Watersheds, and Buffer Protection.
Rick manages his family farm in Southern Minnesota, which is located near several Amish farmsteads. Rick's relationship with the Amish community began several years ago when his uncle passed away. Members of the community helped to round up his cattle and watch after the farm in the absence of Rick's uncle. They also helped on several other projects in the coming years -- fencing, roofing, and even a bit of fine woodworking. This was the beginning of a several-year-long relationship that led to the creation of Harmony Cedar.
Erik Schimek -- Vice President
erik@harmonycedar.com
Erik Schimek is a self-described computer geek. He graduated from an alternative high school in South Saint Paul, where he returned to teach technology classes and assist in the writing of a successful grant to fund transformation of the school towards student-centered learning. He earned a BA in History from Hamline University, where he won several prestigious writing awards. He is (slowly) working on completion of his masters degree in public administration.
Erik is our 'table specialist', and is available to answer your questions regarding our dining room furniture.
Lois Daby -- Accountant
accounts@harmonycedar.com
Lois Daby earned a BS degree in business from Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH. Upon college graduation she taught high school business education for 10 years due to a shortage of business teachers. For the last 20 years she has been providing accounting services for small businesses.
Lois's dedication to accuracy is essential, and it is appreciated.
Our Amish Partners
We are also thankful for the hard work and dedication of our Amish partners. Their craft is becoming a lost art, and we appreciate the opportunity to work with them and provide such beautiful heirloom-quality furniture to our customers.
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